National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) in Colombia has announced the extension of a deadline for EOI proposals for the Navigability of the Magdalena River Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project till March 05, 2020. 

The Regional Autonomous Corporation of the Rio Grande de la Magdalena (Cormagdalena) and the ANI last weekend held the second information session for the investors, experts, academics and the public. The event was attended by 74 people. During the session, technical details were presented and all observations, concerns and comments were received in order to apply them to the structuring process.

The Magdalena River Waterway project, which costs COP 1380 billion (USD 399 million), involves the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the river waterway to improve navigability between Barrancabermeja and Bocas de Ceniza through the implementation of channeling works, dredging activities, monitoring, and signaling of the navigable channel. The project consists mainly in the construction of the channeling structures for an area of ​​90 km in the section between Barrancabermeja - New Site and maintenance dredging in the other sections. Additionally, the construction of the defense of the right bank of the K 14 is included. The project is divided into two functional units, the first of the Access Channel to the Port of Barranquilla - Puerto de La Gloria with a length of 457km and the second unit of 200km from La Gloria to Barrancabermeja. 

The navigability project also includes works for the protection of biodiversity (reduction of fragmentation of ecosystems) and the support of riverine populations (for the facilities that the river offers for access to basic services such as food, work, transport, education, and health), so that interested parties will be required to comply with ideal social, economic and environmental conditions.

Cormagdalena believes in the viability of this PPP and says they see the private sector is willing to invest in the project. Director of Cormagdalena, Pedro Pablo Jurado, believes that the project will be awarded in 2020.

Interested parties can submit their interest by accessing the SECOP platform where ANI has published the prequalification requirements (legal, financial and investment experience requirement) for the Magdalena River project since October 2019. The deadline is March 5. The prequalified list will be released in mid-April. You can see the abovementioned requirements by following a link in the project profile.